To the Editor:
Your editorial of May 15, “Board of Stan” (Page A6), contains two glaring mistakes.
First, the proposed maintenance and layover facility is not on federal land. The land is owned by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority.
Secondly, the editorial states that the “proposal sits beyond the reach of state and federal regulation.” That is not true.
Amtrak is claiming it does not have to comply with state and local law. The construction of the facility is regulated by the federal government, and NNEPRA has been and will continue to be required to submit environmental assessments related to the construction to the Federal Rail Authority under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
I could also challenge the editorial on the claim that the construction of the facility “would expand the presence of a positive economic influence in Brunswick.” The maintenance and layover activity will be conducted by Amtrak employees and NNEPRA contractors who are already conducting the activity in Portland. The facility will not create jobs in Brunswick.
John MacKillop
Brunswick
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